Greece’s highest administrative court has ordered the immediate suspension of construction on a controversial hotel project on Mytakas Beach on the Cycladic island of Milos, following widespread protests by residents and local authorities.
The Council of State issued a temporary injunction blocking the execution of a government decision approving the project’s environmental terms, as well as halting all construction work under the existing building permit even if the permit is revised or extended.
The ruling concerns decision No. 21704/05.08.2024 of the Decentralized Administration of the Aegean, which had authorized the expansion of hotel facilities in the settlement of Triovasalo.
The court action follows a move last February by Greek Environment Minister Stavros Papastavrou, who had already ordered a suspension of works on the popular beach over concerns about environmental and urban planning violations.
The Municipality of Milos, along with three island residents, filed a legal challenge last December seeking to stop the project.
Speaking to Open TV, Minister Papastavrou said authorities had taken all necessary legal steps to protect the environment, adding that the Council of State will now rule both on the suspension request and the broader cancellation appeal.
Milos Mayor Manolis Mikelis welcomed the decision, stressing the municipality had acted swiftly and persistently.
“The Municipality of Milos has never been inactive. On the contrary, it has acted promptly, repeatedly and by every legal means, with the sole aim of protecting the natural environment, legality and the public interest,” he said in a statement.
The dispute centers on the expansion of the White Coast Hotel Resort, a five-star complex planned to accommodate 271 beds directly on Mytakas Beach.
According to the mayor, the municipality since 2023 has rejected permits for large tourism developments, refused to approve the project’s environmental impact study, and repeatedly urged state authorities to investigate potential violations involving coastal protection, wildlife refuge regulations, public access, and zoning laws.
“The municipal authority will continue to defend the environment, legality, the character of the island and citizens’ right to the truth with transparency and persistence,” the statement concluded.
Mytakas Beach lies on the northern coast of Milos between the famous Sarakiniko and Alogomantra beaches and is renowned for its dramatic volcanic rock formations, often compared to a lunar landscape.
The Milos case is the latest in a growing wave of disputes over overdevelopment across Greece’s islands. A similar scandal involved the Coco-Mat Athens BC boutique hotel, which exceeded height limits and blocked views of the Acropolis leading the Council of State to order demolition of its top floors last year.
Dozens of Greek islands are now under mounting pressure due to rapid tourism-related construction. In 2024, Sifnos, Serifos and Folegandros were named among Europe’s 11 most endangered heritage sites by cultural organization Europa Nostra.
